Credit-system apparatus.



No. 820,713. I PATENTED MAY l5, 1906.'

J. 0. GREENWALD.

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PATBNTED MAY 15.1906.

J. O. GREBNWALD. CREDIT SYSTEM APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.2. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ze). M.

WALD, residing in i\/Iilwa ul ee in the county U'NrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB OSCAR GEEENWALD, OE MILWAUKEE, WisCoNsrN. CREDIT-SYS'l-M APPARATUS.

Specification of Original application tiled September 21, 1905, Serial No. 279,39 No. 20

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB OSCAR GREEN- of lllilwaukee and State of Visconsin, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Credit-pystem Apparatus, of' which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to credit-system apparatus, and comprises mechanism whereby a mark of authorization may be produced from a distance upon checks for credit accounts.

lleretofore in large department stores and similar establishments whereopcn accounts are held with customers it .has been usual to require the customer to wait. until this check. has been forwarded by pneiimatie-tubc carriers` or other means to the proper authority to receive the autlurization-stalnp and then returned before his purchase will be delivered to him.

lt is the'object of the present invention to avoid this annoying delaY and Secure immediate. authorization for the credit check. This is accomplished by providing telephones and electrical cheek punching or imprinting devices at the various substations or sections of the establishment which are in connection with a central station where. the credit man or the authority for extending credit is located wit-bins records. lVhen goods are ordered to be charged on account, the clerk or attendant at the station places the check in the check-punching device and telephones to the credit-man the name and address of the customer, the amount of the purchase, and like information. 'lhe creditman looks through his card-indexes or other records to determine whether the customer is entitled to credit, and vfinding that to be the case closes a switch, as'by pressing a push-button, and thereby produces the operation of the cheekpunching device at the substation to punch or imprint the authorization-stamp upon'the check, all of which is accomplished in a very short time.

Letters Patent. lPatented May 1.5` 1906.

l. Divided'and this application tiled February 2, 1906. Serial 9,094.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the mechanism and system herein set forth, theirparts and combinations of parts, and all equivalents.

Referring to the accom anying drawlngs, in which like characters o reference indicate 1 is a diagram of a'credit-check-punchingsysl tem as comprehended by this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of one ofthe check-punching devices. Fig. 3 is an elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the punch member. Fig. (i is aplan view of the die-strip, and Flg. 7 indicates a fragment of a credit-check with the authorizetion-stamp thereon.

ln the drawings the check-punching device comprises an electric solenoid 10, supported in a vertical position by being mounted at its upper end on a plate 11, which 1s connected b v a number of upright posts or bolts 12 with a top plate 13, adapted to rest upon thcv upper surface of a desk or counter with the solenoid passing down through-an opening. 'lhe solenoid-core tube 14 1s extended beneath the solenoid and has a solid bottom 15, upon which the inclosed core 16 normally stands. An insulating-block 17 is mounted at. thc side of the solenoid by being secured to the plate 11, and a pair of bindingpostsl 1S thereon receive the terminals of the solenoid-wind ing. A U-shaped cleat or punch rest 10 is 'secured to the under side of thc top plate 1?),iand a punch member 2() normally rests thereon with its depending reduced stem 21 passing through anopening in the punch-rest and entering the upper end of the core-tube of the solenoid. Here the stem is enlarged to form a shoulder against which its surrounding coil-spring 22 presses at one end, while at the other end it bears against the underside of the punch-rest, so as to normally hold the punch member down upon the punch-rest. The enlarged lower end of the punch-stem 21 is in the path 0f the solenoidcore, so that when the core is lifted by the solenoid it will strike the stem a hammerblow and drive the punch member upwardlAl Another object of this invention is to perfeet details of construction of such creditsystem apparatus so as to render the punching devices reliable in their operation and incapable of being actuated except by the with force. The upper face of the uni-h member 2t) is provided with a numlier of punch-'pins 23, which are preferably arranged to -form the Yletters O K, as shown in ltig. 5, and these unch-pins ride through simiproper authority.

lady-arrange p'erforations in the top plate the sameparts in thel several views, Figure lOO 2.o' through the yopenings 24 .of the punch-operatin l that as the cre it-man atthe central statro'n o makes thev necessary telephone connectlon 13 and are adapted to enter other similarly- A arranged perforations 24 in a die-strip 25,

which is secured at one end onl the top plate. The other check 26, which maybe entered between the die-sltrip-and the ,surface lofithe top plate 13.'4

bracing-strip 27 is mounted upon the diestrip 25 and archesover the perforated porro tion thereof to brace it against being bent up- Jwardly in any way.` The u per surlace of the punch-block is preferab y-provided. with a sheet of cushioning material 28 to act asa buffer between it and theI top plate 1-3 when 15\ the punch is o erated. When the solenoid is energized an its core 16 strikes the punch member and drives Vit upwardly, the punchpins 23,'Which normally stand in theperforavtions of the top plate, are forced u Wardly dIie-str'ip, thereby, perforating' the paper check 26,

placed beneath said die-strip, with the letters O K," as shown in Fig.' 7 .When the sovlenoid lis deenergize'd, its core 16 drops upon the solid bottom 15 of the solenoid-tube, the

upper end of which tube is turned over upon the late 1 l to securely hold it in place against the low 'received in this manner. In order that the paper check maybe perforated atv 3o the proper place, angedguides 29 are ar.

ranged on the to plate 13,'a'gainst-which the edges of the chec are brought to bear. core-tube 14 of the solenoid is preferably per- .forated at its lower end in order that the core lmay not be retarded' in its movements by forming air-cushions, though` it may be sufficiently loose in the core-tube to allow the' air to freely pass. These check-punching devices may be electrically connected in any de.-`

4o sired mannerwith the `vcentral station andl may-be intimately associated-with the telef phone system from leach of the substations to the central station, or they may be entirely independent thereof. It is desirable, how- 4 5 ever, that the'operation at the central'st'ation may be simpliied' as much as possible .by-

combining the telephone system with the system insuch-a manner with the substation which has signaled such connection will establish the connection for the punch-operating system of that substation, and when the circuit-closing means for the punch-operating system is closed the punch-operating device of that one substation onlywill be operated. I have therefore indicated in the diagram of Fig. 1 such a combination 'of the te ephone system and the 6o'. un'ch-operating system in preference to lllustratin the separate and independent -s stems, t ough it is to be understood that I o not desire to restrict myself to the articular system here shown, but reserve t e right 55 to modify this system however it may be V end of the die-strip is free and 5 turned upwardly to form a guide-for a paper The' ' seems desirable or to substitute the independent punch operating systems ref the number of substations may be increasedv l indelinitely. The apparatusat the central station is represented as mounted on a switchboard and includes an ordinary-telephone-transmitter are connected together in a telephone-circuit 32, (shown by fine lines.) The apparatus 'at each of the substations comprises a set of' telephone instruments A, a magnetic checkunchin device B, and a relay C for operatmg the atter, and each ci these is marked with its numeral of the substation to which it belongs.,l The telephone sets of thefsev-` eral substa'tions are connected in multiple,

30 and receiver 31which sev each lineleading from the common telephonel circuit` wire,32, which contains a battery 33, and returning to the switchboard of the-centralfstation by way of sel arate station-wires 34, 35, 36, and 37, respe tively. Here they connect with switch-arms 33, 39, 40, and 41,.'

respectively, which constitute two -point switches normally left upon contact-points .1.42, ai strewn; from which wires 43 lead through annunciators 44 to a' common return-wus 45 vlnr" connects with the telephone-wire 3f; lbetween the battery/"33 and the centralstation telephone instruments and contains. a switch 45", operated by the receiver-hook, so as to open when the receiver is removed. Each of the' annun'oiators 44 is numbered as usual, to correspond with the number'ot1 the substation with which it is connected. Y The telephone sets A oi the substations are of'an ordinary type, `in which the circuittherethrough is opened as long as the receiver is hanging on the hook, but which is completed nfor signalin thev central station and for closing the telephone-circuit -when the receiver is removed from the hook.

When the receiver at any substation is removed from its hook, the signaling-circuit completed by this operation causes the corresponding lannunciatonplate to dro in the usual manner to indicate to the cred1t-man at' the central station that communication is desired by that substation. For instance,

when the receiver of substation 3 is removed from its hook by the attendant a circuit is completedfrom'battery,33 through the wire 32 and the telephone instruments oisubstation 3 by wire 36 to the two-point switch`40 on the switchboard at the central station and through the Wire 43 thereof and the annunciator marked 3, through wire 45 and the closed switch 45 to wire-32, which returns to battery '33,` This circuit causes annunciator 3 to drop, and itis .then the duty of the i l* i, ,139'

credit-man to. change the switch thereabove,

IIO

which is switch40, to its other contact-point 46, and thereby cut the annunciator out ol' circuit and substitute the telephone instruments of the central station, since the wire -31 is removed from its hook, the switch 45 is opened to disconnect the other annunciators from the telephone-circuit, so as to avoid possible interference between the telephone system and the punching system when the latter is operated.

The system so, far as at present explained may be considered the telephone sys-tem; but the station-wires 34, 35, 36, and 37 thereof are also utilized as station-wires in the check punching system. The relay magnet or relay C at each substation is connected to the station-wire of that' substation by means of a wire 48 and is also connectedby a vire 49 with a wire 50, which connects with a battery 5l, from which a wire 52 leads'to a push-button 53 at the central station, adapted when pressed to connect said wire 52 witl the wire 47 before referred to. It will be seen that the operation of changing the twopoint switch ol` any substation from its normal contact-point 42 to its other contactpoint 46 besides establishing the telephonecircuit for that substation also establishes the relay-circuit for the same substation subject to the operation of the Apush-button 53.

Assuming that switch 40 has been moved into engagement with contact-point 46 by the credit-man, as before described, to establish telephonie communication with substation 3 and that the information furnished him during the conversation is found by his records to warrant his approval of the credit charge, it is then his duty to press the pushbutton 53, and thus cause the operation of the check-punching device-B at substation 3, which will be done as follows: The closing of push-button 53 completes a circuit from battery 51, through wire 52 and said push-button to wire 47 and through switch 49:; hich is then in engagement with contact-point 46, through wire 36 to wire 4S and through the magnet of the relay C of substation 3 and by way of the wires 49 and 50 back to the battery 5l. This produces a movement of the relayarmature to close its contacts in the usual manner, which will close circuit through the magnetic punch of sub- "main-object in employing the relays a punch-,operating 1 station 3,4as the punch-solenoid of the punching device B of each substationv is connected by a wire 54 in series with the contacts of the relay C of that substation, and all of the punch-solenoids, with their respective relayswitches, are connectcd'in multiple between wires l55 and 56, which are the terminals cfa I strong electric battery 57 or other source of electric supply, so that when any one of the relay-switches is closed by its magnet becoming energized it completes the punch-operating circuit through the magnetic punching device of that substation. 'lhus the closing of the relay-switch at station 3, as just describedfwill complete the punch-operating 8o circuit through the punching device B of substation 3, since a circuit is complete from battery 57, through wires 5G and 54, including the closed relay-switch and the solenoid of the punch, and by wayof wire 55 back to 85 the battery 57. The credit-man at the central station having 53 and caused the magnetic punch B at substation 3 to perforate the characters O KJ*` pressed the push-button in the charge-check from which the informa 9o tionwas telephoned to him restores the switchhoard to its original condition by returningI the receiver 31 to the hook, lifting the annunciator marked 3, and. moving switch- 40 back to its contact-point 42, the attendant at substation 3 having in the `meantime returned the receiver of that telephone set to its hook.

The operationA for all stations will be the same as that above described, and the communication with the central station and the @feet of the closing of the push-button 53 will only be had with that station for which the two-point switch has been changed from its normal position.

While relays are shown for controlling the check-punching devices, it is obvious that the cheek-punching devices may be put in place of the relays, so'that they are operated directly by the push-button 53 instead of through the intervention of the relays. The rpush-button or circuit-closer is referred to in the claims as adapted to be connected. with the check-punching devices with the broad meaning including the direct connection and the indirect connection with thel relays. v 'lhc is't'b reduceythe resistance of the punch-perating IOO IIO

circuby excluding the station-wires there-Q cation for Letters Patent for Credit-system in the specification' or claims it is intended to y 1905, and healing Serial'No. 279,391.l to,

" y 1. In a device of the character described,

punch-pins carried by the punch member, a

lpunch-.pinszmay be driven through the check ing, or venibossing an desirable character on the check, and it is to e understood that Wherever such terms as punching are employed include'such equivalent means. l v Thiscase constitutes a division of my appliapparatus led .the 21st day lof September,

What Ilclai'm as my invention isa magnetic check-punching device comprising a solenoid, a core therefor, a s ring-re tracted punch member in the path o the core and adapted to be struck and moved thereby,

plate having perforations in Which the punchpins project, and a die adapted to receive a check andhaving perforations into Which the when the punch'member is struck by the solenoid-core.

- 2. In a device of the character described,

ing a solenoid, a core therefor, a punch meinber in'thepath ofthe core and adapted to bei struck and moved thereby, punch-pins carried by the punch member, a platefhaving perforations inwhich thepunch-pins project, said punch member having a shouldered reduced portion, apunch-rest connected to vthe plate-and having an opening through Which the reduced portion of the punch member passes, a coil-spring surrounding the reduced portion ofthe punch member and bearing against its s houlder'and against the punchrest, and aA check-receiving die mounted on the plateand having perforationsinto which seems thepunch-pins are adapted to be driven through thelcheck when the punchmember is stru ckl by the solenoid-core. `3. In a device of the character described,

a check-punching means comprieinga solenoid, a core-tube for the solenoid extending beneath the same, a coreoperating in the rigid] duced punch member, aA top-p ate connected with the before-mentioned plate 'at a distance Atherefrom and having perforations into which the punch-pins extend, a punch-rest mou-nted on thetop'plate for supporting the punch member and having an opening through which the reduced portion ofthe punch member extends, a coil-spring surrounding and engaging the reduced portion of the punch member and bearing on the punch-rest, a

ssj

check-receiving die-strip on the top plate f a magneticcheck-punching device comprishaving perforations into Which the punch'- pins are adapted to be driven when the punch member is struck by the solenoid-core, a bracing-strip on the die-strip adapted to prevent its being bent out of position, and guides JACOB OSCARt GRENWALD Witnesses: l

l R. S. C. CALDWELL, l ANNA F. SCHMIDTBAUER. 

